Energy Learning Network Programme Lead - London

See full Job Description here.

About Ashden  

Ashden boosts climate innovation in the UK and Global South. Our support brings clean energy to villages and refugee camps and fixes up cold and draughty homes.  

Ashden’s Sustainable Towns and Cities Team works across the UK, to support local authorities and communities to reduce carbon emission and adapt to the changing climate.  We have a strategic focus on energy efficiency and retrofit, local renewable energy systems, citizen engagement and community co-design, skills building and adaptation.   

https://ashden.org/sustainable-towns-cities/ 

About the Role  

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead the delivery of a UK-wide Energy Learning Network designed to ensure that learning is shared right across the devolved nations to deliver impact that is greater than the sum of its parts.  Our aim is to enable community groups focused on energy to maximise their scale and impact, whilst supporting those new to the sector.  The Network is a new initiative funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, led by Ashden and delivered in partnership with Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales, Action Renewables and Centre for Sustainable Energy. 

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a new network designed to scale up the role and benefits of community energy across the UK. Do you have exceptional project management skills? Can you support hands-on delivery of the project? Do you have proven experience in managing partnerships?  

What you might find yourself doing: 

• Establishing the governance structures for the new Energy Learning Network partnership. This will include establishing and leading a new project management group, accountability board and a technical expert group. 

• Building and maintaining effective relationships with the four national community energy bodies. 

• Managing the day-to-day governance of the partnership and reporting to the National Lottery Community Fund. 

• Undertaking stakeholder mapping of communities, local authorities or councils wishing to deliver community energy projects. 

• Setting up peer mentoring support to help communities go faster. 

• Facilitating workshops and/or online seminars drawing on the experience of the whole network.  

• Working with Ashden and network colleagues to promote community energy and signpost to great resources right across the UK. 

• Put in place effective monitoring and evaluation tools to track the programme’s progress against its agreed outcomes.   

• Speak at a wide range of events about the multiple benefits of community energy in all its forms.  

About You 

You’ll thrive in this role if you: 

• Are a persuasive communicator who can convey complex information effectively to a diverse range of people, organisations, communicates and stakeholders.  

• Thrive on managing people and partnerships to deliver outcomes greater than the sum of their parts. 

• Have top-notch project management and financial management skills. 

• Are enthusiastic about the potential role of community energy across the UK to deliver positive local change. 

• Are able to design and deliver a range of knowledge sharing activities such as workshops, seminars or case studies to support others to learn quickly. 

• Are willing to take accountability and work in a self-managed way as well as working and collaborating with team members and partners. 

• Bring passion and enthusiasm to the role.  

It is also desirable (but not necessary) for you to have: 

• Firsthand experience of working with or in a community energy organisation. 

• A good understanding of national, regional and local government. 

Specific project management training or qualifications.  

Benefits 

Here are some of our benefits: 

• Pension – a sum equivalent of 12% of annual salary 

• 22 days annual leave rising by one day every year to 25 [pro-rated] 

• Office closed between Christmas and New Year  

• Maternity and Paternity leave 

• Volunteering policy 

• Interest free season ticket loan 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Eye care 

• Annual occupational health check-up 

• Learning and Development 

Application Process 

We use Applied, a behavioural science-backed recruitment platform that reduces bias, improves quality of hire and increases diversity. You will be asked three work sample questions which will be scored anonymously by the hiring team. Once all the answers are scored, we will look at the CVs of the top scoring candidates and make a shortlist for interview. First interviews take place online on Monday 22 April, it is an hour long and will include a 15-minute presentation with Q&A. Second interviews take place in person (preferably) on Wednesday 24 April at our office in Victoria and are 45-minutes. We will reimburse candidates for their travel.  

Please let us know if you have accessibility needs and/or require reasonable adjustments people@sfct.org.uk. 

Questions 

• Why is this a contract role? 

The Energy Network Programme is part of new initiative funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, led by Ashden and delivered in partnership with Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales, Action Renewables and Centre for Sustainable Energy, which runs until March 2028. Although we hope to extend the project beyond the funded period, this role is on a fixed term contract. 

• Can people outside of the UK apply for this role? 

No. We are unable to apply for visas and can only accept applications from candidates who have the right to live and work in the UK. 

• Can I ask for feedback on my application? 

Due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only provide individual feedback to candidates who are invited to interview.